Mothers are supernatural gift from God – Fr. Edmund Njoku

The Catholic Women Organization (CWO), St. Mary’s Parish Obibiezena, Owerri North LGA, Imo State on Sunday, March 30, 2014, joined other Catholic women nationwide in celebrating this year’s mother’s day.

The Mass which started as a grand finale of a weeklong event was presided over by the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Edmund Njoku and assisted by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Anorue.

Introducing the Mass, Fr. Eddy expressed joy at the level of enthusiasm which the mothers gathered to mark their day.  With that same spirit, he described them as  supernatural gift offered to male folk by God.  He prayed God to instill in them strong faith which would enable them fulfill their obligations as Christian mothers.

Delivering the homily, Fr. Anorue gave reasons why mother’s day is unique to the salvivic mission of Christ.  He stated that the birth of Christ is a gift to mankind and Christ who came to the world as light to enlighten the world through a virgin, has since remained a source of hope to all Christians and the Mother with her undisputable role in bringing salvation to mankind remains a model especially to mothers.

“Fellow Christians, today’s gospel comes as an assurance which Christ represents.  He is the light which has come to illumine the world.  By restoring the sight of the man born blind, Christ showed that He is on course for a divine mission”.

Explaining further, the Assistant Parish Priest observed that the healing miracle recorded in the gospel was symbolic in the lives of every Christian, saying that through the openness and resilience of the blind man, Christians have been challenged to put their trust only in God so that the darkness of iniquities which covered their hearts could be dispelled. These  iniquities are dominant factors in spiritual  blindness of christians,the clergyman noted.

Reminding the faithful that family is the nucleus of the society the homilist frowned at the prevalent cases of broken homes orchestrated by infidelity among husband and wife, he opined that it is an ugly trend needed to be exorcized in the life of every Christian couple.  He therefore urged mothers to see the occasion as a compliment of Lenten reflection on how to build a strong family rooted in faith and good Christian life.

Other activities at the Mass included launching of CWO bags and decoration of Sir Theophilus Amagwu and Mama Theresa Chukwu as Father and Mother of the day respectively.

Addressing the audience at the reception, Lady Theresa Nosike, CWO President, who highlighted the symbolic nature of the bags, advised the women to stockpile all their problems and worries in the bags and channel them to God in prayer, just as Mother Mary pondered hers in mind without complaint.  Lady Nosike also commended the spirited efforts shown by the two senior citizens who were decorated, saying that the duo were selected based on their track records which were filled with age long hard work and selfless services rendered for God and humanity through the church.

The President, who beckoned on her fellow women to emulate same, also maintained that humility, submissiveness and obedience to their husbands are virtues which stand as a lubricating oil to a successful marriage.

She thanked the parish priest for his amiable pastoral guidance and pledged their continued support for hitch-free pastoral activities.

In a brief chart with the Father of the day, Sir Theo Amagwu, the octogenarian expressed delight for the recognition, saying that the request came as something which he couldn’t whisk away because it was courtesy of the mothers. “I have dedicated the honour  to my late wife who died some years back”, the Knight of St. John International (KSJI) inferred.

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