ST MARY PRO CATHEDRAL ILESA CELEBRATES FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

ST MARY PRO CATHEDRAL ILESA CELEBRATES FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

THERE WAS JOY IN the air as St Mary Pro Cathedral Ilesa, 26 November, celebrated the kingship of Christ over the whole universe.

Rev. Fr Patrick Ajayi, chief celebrant, began the celebration by acknowledging Christ as King of the universe.

 Rev. Michael Ige, the homilist, said the history of the day’s celebration dated back to 1925 in Mexico when the government had declared that citizens should pay her ultimate royalty. The Catholic faithful in the country stormed the streets in protest. They proclaimed Jesus Christ as the only King to whom they would pay ultimate royalty. Consequently, Pope Pius 11 made it compulsory for Catholics to proclaim Christ as the King of the universe.

 Reference to Luke 4: 16-20 states that all power in Heaven and on earth has been given to Christ to proclaim freedom to those in captivity.

The homilist then admonished the people to allow Christ to reign in their lives by being charitable. Charity, he said, is the ticket to reign with Christ in His kingdom, and anyone who is able to provide three square meals to himself and his family without depending on others is rich even if he does not have a car or a house of his own.  And such  a person is under an obligation to provide  for  at least a person in need.

Rev. Ajayi added that charity should not be limited to physical needs but extended to the spiritual. There are some people who can afford the physical needs of life but are hungry or thirsty or naked spiritually. Hence, the love of God and love of neighbour should be genuinely imbibed for one to be sensitive to the needs of others, he said.

He encouraged everyone to show the world that Christ is the universal king through charity that “reflects genuine love of neighbour.”

The Mass ended with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament which ushered members into the procession through Ilesa town. During the procession, adoration was given to the Blessed Sacrament at the Owa’s palace where Fr Ajayi prayed for the town, the king and all residents of the town.

The procession continued to Wesley Guild Hospital (OAUTHC, Ilesa) where members of St James’s joined the procession.

At the hospital, Rev. Fr Patrick  prayed  for  all the sick  and blessed them with the  Blessed Sacrament. The procession finally  ended  at St Anthony Catholic High School with a brief admonition  from  Fr.  Patrick, the adoration  of  the  Blessed Sacrament and the final blessings.  

-PAUL ADEDOYIN

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