HOMILY FOR OCTOBER 1 2020, SOLEMNITY OF OUR LADY, QUEEN AND PATRONESS OF NIGERIA

 

*HOMILY FOR OCTOBER I SOLEMNITY OF OUR LADY QUEEN AND PATRONESS OF NIGERIA*

Isaiah 11:1-10 Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,12-13,17 Ephesians 2:13-18 Matthew 2:13-15,19-23

Dear Sisters and Brothers, today is the Celebration of the Solemnity of Our Lady, Queen and Patroness of Nigeria. Therefore, the memorial of Saint Theresa is shifted to the 3rd of October for us here in Nigeria.

Today is the 60th birthday of Nigeria. Today, we remember the day Nigeria had her independence since 60 years ago. Truly, as Nigerians celebrate her Independence anniversary, we are forced to ask the germane, relevant and valid question: Is Nigeria really independent, both in “sensu stricto et sensu lato” of INDEPENDENCE? The answer from any adult with good reasoning in Nigeria, will be NO. There is no doubt that many have said that Nigeria is close to Hell Fire; for that, Satan will not punish Nigerians if they find their way to Hell Fire. So funny. What it means is that up to 95% of Nigerians are suffering, and are living in abject poverty. For us Nigerians and in Nigeria today, we are been colonized again by our own people. Day after day, the destructive condition increases. This is why the Church in Nigeria plead for this just, wise, insightful, powerful, faithful, moral and God-fearing shoot from the “stock of Jesse” to spring forth and lead the weary people of Nigeria, liberating us from the crushing wickedness and shackles of the political authorities and cannibals (in disguise), so that true love, happiness and reconciliation may find home in this country, Nigeria.

Amidst the advent of a great scion from the root of Jesse, the divine judge and reconciler of peoples and nations, Herod, the wicked and unjust ruler, seeks to kill the infant child. That is always the job of evil, seeking to eliminate the good.

The readings of today can be very much adapted to console the Nigerian people, fixing their unalloyed trust in God and the intercession of the Mama Maria. Nigerians wait on the liberating hands of the Lord in the midst of total misrule by the leaders since the lethal, menacing and precarious Independence of 1960. The battle is the Lord’s and we hope that the good news shall come one day. The Good News will be: either  we shall all be in the Nigeria of our great dreams (which has little chance of occurring), or another country may emerge for the good of those who will be her citizens (which has greater chance of happening). Take it or leave it. But be prepared. How it will happen, I do not know.

Too, humanity laid in ruins. Hearts were far away from the Almighty. Eternal damnation loomed large. Darkness was on the face of the earth. Through its sin, humanity was destined for eternal death. Life became short, brutish and worthless. Creation groaned under the weight of its collective loss of innocence. In the midst of all these, God sent holy men and women into the world, but they could not achieve the desired results. In the fullness of time, God decided to send His own Son through a woman, Mary of Nazareth (cf. Gal. 4:4). The shoot was to come from this stump of Jesse, from both Mary and Joseph the guardian and foster father of the Son of God. The dignity of divine motherhood was bestowed on this humble servant of Yahweh. Her Seed was to be filled with wisdom and understanding, counsel and power and the fear of Yahweh. Righteousness was to be the belt of His waist and faithfulness the belt of His loins. This root of Jesse was to restore humanity to that unity it had lost as a result of its sins. (Is11:1-10). He would restore justice and great peace to beleaguered humanity. (Ps72:1-2,7-8,12-13,17). The Son born to this noble daughter of Sion came to break down the dividing wall of hostilities and restore man to the dignity of sonship. Through His cross, He was to reconcile mankind back to God. (Eph. 2:13-22).

Also, Mama Maria’s motherhood on earth was actually a motherhood with pain, anxieties, sufferings, deprivations and great sadness. A sword of sorrows passed through her heart. She was afflicted with great anguish of soul over her divine Son. At a very early age, she and her spouse Joseph were warned in a dream and had to flee to Egypt because Herod wanted to destroy the little baby Jesus. On hearing about the death of Herod through another dream, they could not return to Bethlehem in Judea, their birthplace because another terrible son of Herod was reigning in place of his evil father. Such were the travails of this woman! Yet, in all these, she cooperated fully with Yahweh and accepted His loving designs for the salvation of humanity. She fully gave her "yes" to this plan.

This painful motherhood of Mama Maria turns out to be a Glorious and Vivifying Motherhood later.

As we celebrate Mama Maria’s Solemnity today as Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, we are called upon to imitate her virtues. We are invited to pray our rosaries daily as a powerful defense against the attack of satan. We are called upon to invoke her intercession for our land and its people. We are urged to model our lives upon the virtuous life of Mary, the Holy mother of God and our mother. May she intercede for our country Nigeria and the entire world. "Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." Amen.

Mama Maria is Queen and Patroness of our country Nigeria. A solemnity for us as a nation who chose her specially as our patroness. She is a figure we should run to for intercession always because she is the favourite of God, and the lowly handmaid of the Lord whose emergence filled the world with light. She is the beloved mother of Jesus who handed us, (John) to her as our  mother and we as her children (Jn 19:26-27). Mama Maria is full of grace and most Blessed of all women, (Lk 1:28 & 42). Therefore, while on October 1,  our nation celebrates her Independent Anniversary, the Church in addition celebrates the feast of Our Lady Queen of Nigeria because our country is placed under her patroness. This is so because like Mama Maria, the church in our nation want to discern and consent to the plan of God for us as a nation. And His plan is surely good as evidence in our gifts of natural and human resources. So, the onus lies on us to turn to her for  her maternal intercession. God exalted her from her lowly state for obeying Him.

We therefore seek, earnestly, the intervention of Our Lady, our Mother and Queen in these times of doom. We begin the special devotion to her from this first day of the month of October, knowing that with her Son, everything is possible. “Pray always and never lose heart” (Luke 18:1).

Today is the beginning of the month of October. May God, through the intercession of Mama Maria, bring peace and justice to our land. As we begin this new month, the tenth month of this year, may God bless you and your families with His peace. May you enjoy His favour and manifold blessings.

October is also the month of Mama Maria! Remember to pray your rosary daily this month as a powerful defense against evil and the onslaught of satan. May the Living Word of God find a true dwelling place within our hearts and souls today and always. “Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.” In the name of the Father, and of he Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria – Pray for us!

Happy Independence anniversary and happy new month of October!

*O DIVINE WORD, WHO TOOK FLESH FOR HUMAN SAKE, REDEEM US IN OUR SITUATION*

© Rev Utazi Prince Marie Benignus SFDPM 

 

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