Pendant of Grace: Fifteen Years of Inestimable Love

July 10, 2009

Today marks exactly fifteen years when I first raised the sacred body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ at the table of redemptive love and everlasting blessings at the first mass I ever celebrated. It was a day after my ordination.

Since sixty years of Catholicism was reinvented in my Igala homeland and Idah became the seat of Catholicism in Igala and Bassa lands, I became the first son of Idah to raise at the altar of God the sacrifice of our redemption. Idah had come full cycle.

Idah experienced Christianity with a Christian service celebrated on its territory on the Niger River in 1841 by Revs. Schon and the liberated African slave and later to be made Anglican Bishop, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, who were members of the Niger Expedition. Moments later the treaty of 1841 was signed with the Attah Ameh Ocheje, and members of the Expedition representing the British crown, and through the mediation and interpreting genius of another liberated Igala slave, William Johnson, a scion of the Royal family, from the clan of the ruling Attah Ameh Ocheje.

Through my ordination, as a Catholic priest for Idah diocese, I became the first scion of the ancient and native Idah town and from St. Boniface Cathedral parish to be so elevated. As I grimace and glimpse backwards, I remember my late father, mother, and sibling and the entire Christian community of Idah diocese and specifically of St. Boniface parish church whose elation and support, and who through their ongoing encouragement and prayers have anchored me ever since.

These embraced me and honored me as their own; their son and one of them. Thus, my ordination to the Catholic priesthood became the firstfruit and source of many vocations to the priesthood and religious life ever since.

It is remarkable given that before me many by the name Anthony's have made enormous contributions to the growth of the faith in Idah diocese, and in more nuanced modes in Idah town, I belonged to good company. These are the hardworking intrepid German missionary, Rev. Fr. AnthonyKonrath and the Nigerian priest and indigenous missionary, the late Rev. Fr. (later Bishop) Anthony Nwedo. Hence, I can say, I am truly blessed to have these courageous and intrepid fervent souls and priests before me, and whom I can count upon their intercession before God's divine throne in heaven.

I am also humbled looking back at the sacrifice of the first priest ordained for Idah diocese, the first Igala priest, the late Rev. Fr. Dominic Arome.It is now fifteen years since my ordination. It looks like yesterday, still fresh and veldish in my consciousness. However, it cannot be also taken for granted, as a lot has also taken place.

Few months after my ordination, my father, Emmanuel Agbali, who witnessed my ordination died on November 18th, 1994 at the Niger Foundation Hospital, Enugu. As I recall my years of ordination these past fifteen years, I remember how seating at the confessional one day, though one or two other priests were present that my father decided to come to me for his confessions.

I was humbled. I had tried to make him see the reasons to select another priest, but he simply told me: "You are a priest too, why can you not hear my confession?" I was beaten to it. My father added his anointing to my ordination, and enhanced my ministry by so validating it.

I am thankful for God's inestimable grace and goodness.I am also humbled by the many good people who were not only present but were direct sources of inspirations to me along the way, both before my ordination, during, and the years ever since. Prime place goes to my beloved and late bishop, Ephraim Silas Obot, who died on Easter Sunday, April 12th, 2009.

A truly humble and humane man, he taught me and others, members of his flock a lot. He was my bishop, and even more a quintessential pastor of the Cathedral church. He always supported me enormously, and enriched in growing to maturity as a man, a Christian, and then as a priest. Most vitallyu and essentially he cultivated in me the values of prayerfulness, mindfulness, a caring and loving spirit, a forgiving heart, and expoused the virtues of humility, charity, chastity, and generosity.

This man taught me how to engage God in prayer.He was my first teacher of theology; when while still in secondary school (high school) through his weekly Sunday Biblical and Liturgical School (actually a Cathedral Catechetical School) I had the benefit of learning scriptures, liturgy, some Church history and spirituality from 1984-1985.

Later, on I would turn out to be his first formal teacher of the Igala language. As a seminarian doing my one year pastoral year (1989-1990) as the first Idah diocesan seminarian First Auxiliary at St. Kizito Minor Seminary, Idah, I combined this assignment with teaching the Bishop the Igala language, twice a week. Though fascinating, I would vouchsafe to assert that the Bishop was a very poor student of the Igala language!

Nonetheless, I had the occassion to come close to him and especially experience his prayer life and spiritually driven and joy-filled enriched life. A man of patience and perseverance who did not begrudge the arid conditions of life he sometimes faced in a poor diocese, he was persistent in hope.

Few years ago, Bishop Obot honored me and Fr. Patrick Adejoh, my elder brother in the prebysterate, visited the United States, St. Louis, Missouri, in particular, for medical checks, honoring me by humbly sharing my one bedroom apartment, and allowing me to be the chef for the duration of his stay. In the collegiality of ecclesial unity, expression of paternal and fratenal affirmation of our shared and unique ministries, Bishop Obot pointed to us the joy of priestly community living.

During this period he was an absolutely respectful and obedient guest; that did not arrogantly portrayed his power as a bishop as over and above, but radiated in simplicy the virtue of being our beloved pastor and father. He thoroughly respectful of his host and almost over indulgently thankful for every minute gestures shown him.

He was a distinguished father and brother. When father's day came, which he never knew existed until then, he was so elated to call the fathers he knew, and enjoyed receiving a card designating him as a father as well- our spiritual father in the faith.

Then, we would celebrate the mass together, in spite of his debilitating back pain. He uplifted all his priests, religious, and members of his diocese and various events to the Lord in prayers. On that occassion following a phone call from my mother, informing me that a mother of one of our priests, Mrs. Monica Illah, passed earlier that day, the Bishop was overwhelmed.

In his caring manner, we tried to call Fr. Louis Illah to offer consolation. We together lifted Mrs. Illah and her family to God at mass and prayers through that day. This is the depth of a caring pastor's soul. Bishop Obot grounded in his love of God and His Church never faltered in his prayer life. He was astute and firmly rooted in God's divine will and plans. He condoned all insolence and was tireless in admonishment, while prophetically forecasting the future. I remember his pithy saying, "This too shall pass away!"

He is now gone but fondly remembered with thanksgiving forever. From this man, my bishop, I received the grace of ordination; ordaining me a deacon and months later as a priest. I drank from the fountain of his wisdom and shared together with him in the ministry of grace. He was my pastor par excellence; always present, comforting, and consoling. When my biological father died in 1994, he never winked before saying to me then a young priest, "I have even now become more of a father to you."

He mourned my father, whom he called his friend. When my father died, Bishop Obot told me, "I would like to be able to celebrate his funeral mass, know that he was also my friend. He was your father but he was my friend, whom I could count upon, to call him at any hour of the day to go represent me at a meeting. He was my eye in CAN [the Christian Association of Nigeria]."True, I remember in 1983, when within hours after my late bishop came calling on my late father, Dad and the late Mr. Benji George (The popular Idah mechanic) had to travel to Ibadan at a moment's notice.

As Bishop Obot is now gone, I now realize the meaning of the radiant rainbow-like rings formed around the light directly before the altar in an Indiana hospital, that I visualized as I was raising the Eucharistic species while saying the Easter Sunday mass. It was a statement to me of his radiant entrance into the Kingdom of our Lord many hours back.

Few hours later, I would learn from Fr. Patrick Adejoh, through a phone call, that my bishop, my teacher, my student, and my boss has gone to the Lord having borne in patience and humility physical and excruciating pains in his body. I have since not seen that rainbow rings around that particular light!

Also today, two priests who stood on the same altar with me fifteen years ago, Frs. Matthias Ahiaba and Gerald Arome have also gone to their eternal reward sealed with the sign of faith and hope. These were my friends and confidants, even though senior to me in the priesthood and biologically. Others are my other many friends. The Rev. Fr. Reuben Ahmodu whom I had known since my days at St. James' Minor Seminary, Makurdi in the early 1980s, died while I was a seminarian in 1992. He was a strong pillar of energetic resilience for me.

The late Rev. Fr. (Professor) Edmund Emefie Ikenga-Metuh who died in a plane crash in early 2000, and who was present at my ordination in Idah was also a very dear friend, whom I had met in Jos, during my days as a seminarian. He was drawn to my resourceful efforts in promoting African theological and indigenous scholarship.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Ikubolaje, C.S. Sp., was another friend called to the eternal homeland. As a transitionary deacon he was also at my ordination, but left to the eternal bliss almost immediately following an automobile accident in Uyo diocese, gone since almost fifteen years ago- November 1994.

Bishop Joseph Sunday Ajomo, late bishop of Lokoja diocese (1992-2005) was a mentor to me in many ways. He who was not only my rector and formator in the major seminary of St. Augustine, Jos, but was every inch like a father and a fountain of spiritual and human wisdom, candid and loving. He died of cancer, even before I could tell him good bye.

Bishop Ajomo, you live on forever in my consciousness. Helping to train me to be a good priest and person, I can only do what you taught us to do, make the Eucharist the center of our lives. Here on this table, I will remember you forever, until my time is up, and I come calling. I look forward to seeing you come welcome me among the company of saints and angels.

My grandmother, Lydia Abdul who died in the early days of 1999, and was at my ordination; Sr. Sharon Dei, S.S.N.D., my dear friend and teacher who died in 2000 in the United States, were all icons of support and anchors of fortitude, in the midst of life's many mists.

As I recall today my fifteenth year anniversary as a priest, I cannot but remember all of these special and wonderful people in my lives, that God in his kindness brought my way. I invoke their prayers and advocacy, so that when my life is equally spent and done here on earth, I can join in the presence of the eternal bliss to enjoy my own reward of God's blessings, presence, in praising the creator forever.

Today, I pray for all. Some have been blessings for me on this route. I remember those who formed me in the major seminary. Fr. Cletus Gotan; the late Fr. Thomas Kambasaya; the late Fr. Kevin O'keffe, SMA; Fr. Jack Brennan, SMA; Fr. William (Bill) Sullivan, SMA; Bishop Campbell, OSA; Msgr. Dominic Adama; Fr. Jack Moti; Fr. Emmanuel Kure; the late Fr. Francis Duniya; Fr. Patrick Adekola; Fr. "Stone" Peter Tango; Sr. Margaret, O.L.A.; Fr. Mbanusi; OSA; Fr. Thomas Mason, O.S.A.; Fr. Emmanuel Ezenne, Fr. Innocent Eje among many others.

I ask for the compelling blessings of God upon those who have aided my journey and prayed for me. I am praying for all that God will answer their deepest aspirations. Others have tried to become cogs and agents of numerous obstacles. Whereas others due to ambition, ignorance, and self-gratification have maligned without respect and undignifying falsehood, or utter error makes it a duty to vilify me, I pray for the grace to forgive each one of them, as hard as it sometimes is to do so..

As a priest, in the church of Christ, who though unworthy, have received through the inestimable grace of His Love the ability to offer Eucharistic sacrifice at the altar of God's love I pray for the unity of the Church of Christ. I pray for the Holy Father. I pray for the church in Nigeria, for blessing and transformations.

I am in awe of the great many blessings I have received from those associated in many ways with my formation to the priesthood so many to mention. These includes my many fervent teachers in the major seminary, my many classmates, my teachers through many stages of life.On this day I commend to the love of God my classmates (Class of 94) St. Augustine Major Seminary, Jos, Nigeria who have gone to their eternal rest.

Ever, before we finished our training, our classmate, Rev. Deacon Joseph Okpo, opened the gate to heaven, becoming the firstfruit of our class to be called home. Since that April day, in the morning of the resurrection, in 1994, many others have been called home. We commemorate them, and celebrate their memories richly. Among those the Lord has called home are: Fr. Sylvester Embu, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Godwin Zhantur (Jos); Fr. Fidelis Audi, Fr. Thomas Gazem and Fr. Augustine Gwayit (Kaduna); among probably others. May they be sure intercessors for the rest of us.

I pray for my living classmates, many of whom are priests dedicatedly serving in various ecclesial missions in the Church in Nigeria and across the globe. May God bless richly through these human vessels the work of his hands. May they be offered solace in their times of need, and strength in times of weaknesses and trials. We pray for the fervent and terpid to increase in their fervor, while we also pray for the weak and despairing for more divine strength and uplifting.

I equally uplift the priests of Idah diocese some of whom as my senior, motivated me; and many who are younger both in the priesthood and in age, that God will nourish their work. Of course, for all priests across the world, may the Lord suture them in his eternal love.

Counting upon the Lord, may he make use of each and all of us his servants for the sake of his church and the good of humanity. Our Nigerian church is changing, increasing in vocation but equally challenged. May our prayers for the church of our homeland yield fruits as the Lord of the harvest makes it to flower.

In spite of the perennial gloom emanating from the ways of human actors, both at the highest and lowest levels, may the spirit of the living God, through our prayers and the sacrifice of grace that comes alive through our hands be a source of renewed and perpetual energies.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ the eternal priest; and also our mother- the mother of all priests- through her constant intercession uphold and enfold us priests, brothers of her son, Jesus, in her Immaculate Heart, now and forever!

Posted by In God we Live and Move