REJOICING IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C), 14TH DECEMBER, 2025, St. Pius X Parish, Gbagalagpe.
Homily by Archbishop I.A. Kaigama.
Readings: Isaiah 35: 1-6a. 10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11: 2-11.
THEME: REJOICING IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
It pleases me to visit your parish for the first time. I have been to all the areas that end with “pe”, except this one. I have been to Katampe and Guzape, Piape, Paipe, and today is the turn of Gbagalape. I was talking to someone in London yesterday and said I was coming to Gbagalape, and he asked, Where is it and I said it is in Abuja, and he could not believe it. He thought it was in Vietnam or China.
I am glad, however, to see for myself the progress made in your spiritual and pastoral life as well as your church building. Remember how long it has taken you since you started to build your church. It took St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome 120 years to be built by many popes and architects like Michelangelo and Bernini.
You have been on this project for many years. One day it will come to a conclusion as the temple in Jerusalem took so long to build, but it was finally built, and it became a sight to behold, and Christ even made references to it, which shows it was a magnificent edifice. Your church, by our standard, in the Federal Capital Territory, will become a masterpiece like St. Peter’s Basilica has become a sacred place and a masterpiece in the world after all the years it took to build it.
This third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday.” The word “gaudete” comes from the Latin word “rejoice,” taken from today’s entrance antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near” (cf. Phil. 4:4-5). The Church calls believers to rejoice not because of the superficial excitement that Christmas is coming, but because salvation is dawning.
While rejoicing, one is encouraged to rejoice by giving thanks to God. we are at the tail end of the year, and the Lord has kept us alive and strong. In your families, I believe you have many reasons to be grateful to God. Likewise, in your parish, you have experienced spiritual growth, pastoral success, peace, and unity.
The Archdiocese has every reason to be grateful. Yesterday, we ordained eleven (11) priests, adding more workers to the vineyard of the Lord. We pray as the homilist Fr. John Oluoma implored yesterday that God will sustain the new priests with His grace, to be holy priests, accountable, respectful, and not to talk down from the altar upon those who helped support their training; not to be greedy for money, or engaged in unhealthy relationships.
The second reading from the Letter of St James, opens with this exhortation: “Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord” (Jas 5:7). It is important, in our day, to underline the value of constancy, patience, and persistence, virtues which are badly needed in our country by all who wish this country well. We may be going through the valley of darkness, but in prayerful patience, honest living, dedicated work, putting others first, and overcoming parochial political, tribal, and religious interests, we shall overcome and experience remarkable development and growth.
St. James urges patience, the kind of patience and hope someone exhibits in waiting for the harvest, which the prophets of old waited for the fulfillment of God‘s promise. So, I believe our day of glory will come. We shall see the light at the end of the tunnel, whereby our leaders will put citizens’ interests first, and are ready to supply the very basic things of life, making the environment serene, tranquil, and not toxic or dominated by criminality and fear.
As the gospel reading says today, blessed is he who does not lose hope in faith. Jesus points to the incontestable evidence of his healing and life-giving ministry as a fulfillment of Isaiah‘s prophecy. He showed by concrete action that he was the leader promised of old and whom the people had been waiting for through his act of healing and life-giving ministry.
We need to develop a high spirit of hope, inner strength, resilience and perseverance even in the face of frustration, demoralization, discouragement, etc., Advent indeed, calls us to develop inner tenacity, the resistance of the spirit, which enables us not to despair while waiting for a good that is slow in coming, but, on the contrary, to prepare for its coming with active trust.
Every good thing takes place before it comes. Even for all the advanced countries in the world, it took them long years, some even centuries, to discover the relevance of the rule of law and the importance of democracy. They went through wars, destruction, and inhuman treatment of one another before they reached their present stage of development. While it should not take Nigeria t he same length of time and fierce destruction of lives, we are expected to do better than we are doing today, we should be able to afford the basics of life; good roads, potable water, good schools, hospitals, good social insurance scheme for all and not only for the few rich while the others are wallowing in hunger, poverty and social deprivation.
The comparison with the farmer is very important. The farmer sows the field and has before him several months of patient, constant working and waiting. The farmer combines faith and reason in a balanced way. For on the one hand, he knows the laws of nature and does his work well, and on the other, he trusts in Providence, because certain fundamental things are not in his hands but in the hands of God.
Patience and constancy are truly a synthesis between human commitment and confidence in God. While our government, with the support of the international community, works hard to eliminate insecurity, we cannot trust only in human weapons of bombs, sophisticated guns, drones, and the latest technology of war.
“Establish your hearts”, Scripture says; help is not lacking; it is the Word of God. In fact, while everything else passes and changes, the Word of the Lord is not transient. If the events of life make us feel bewildered and every certainty seems to crumble, we have a compass to guide us, we have an anchor to prevent us from drifting away from the word of God, the vitamins for our souls.
The need for patience cannot be overemphasized. When we preach patience, people ask us for how long? They have been patiently waiting that kidnapping will stop, terrorists will stop their mindless attacks and killings, so that our innocent children can go to school and return safely; our farmers can go to far-away farms and return safely; our market women can go and come to make the meager amounts they do for daily sustenance. The youth will be employed. Let leaders at whatever level not wait until the youths lose their patience. It may be catastrophic.
We, however, insist as St James reminds us in the second that justice will prevail and our suffering is not in vain; we should be patient and steadfast. Even when it seems like the world is against you, remember the saints and martyrs who lost their lives for their faith in God. God is watching, and His plans are always good; hence, we are encouraged to remain faithful and not to give up.
Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah in the first reading is what our leaders should work earnestly and fervently for true peace. The presence of a good leader should not bring violence but peace to all. The true leader governs with love, humility, and service. His presence brings forgiveness, He brings healing, restoration, and liberation to the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed.
We call on all Nigerians who practice one religion or the other to pursue the true mission of religion to bring love, harmony, unity, and mutual acceptance, even when we worship differently, dress differently, and call the Almighty God by different names. What matters is that He is the creator of heaven and earth and the creator of each and every one of the over eight billion people on earth.
Our experiences of violence, bloodshed, the inhuman behaviour of kidnapping, corruption, unemployment, high inflation, and cases of terror attacks and other problems Nigeria is facing may seem to blur this holy joy, plunging many into hopelessness and sadness. We must, however, remain convinced that no catastrophe can diminish or extinguish the joy of God’s greatest gift to us in Jesus Christ. That is why St. Paul exhorts us to continue to “rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Let us keep hope alive, announce true hope, which does not disappoint because it is founded on the fidelity of God.
I urge the 196 candidates for the sacrament of confirmation to become witnesses of the Light of Christ. As soldiers of Christ, your faith must be strong and your love for others genuine, beyond boundaries or barriers. Speak the truth and shame the devil; demonstrate that there can be joy of heart even in the face of adversity.
We entrust your Parish Priest, Fr. Vincent Ogunsoro, his assistant, Fr. Emmanuel Longjap, and indeed, all the parishioners of St. Pius X Parish, Gbagalagpe, to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
I urge you all to be agents of hope and transformation in our society, a society bedevilled by hostility and violence. In all you do, foster unity, understanding, and love. Above all, trust in the Lord and look up to Him because he is our rock, our refuge, and salvation. Do not be distracted. Keep your eyes focused on Christ, who existed yesterday, exists today, and will exist tomorrow, and he is the way, the truth, and the life.
Peace be with you, now and forever.
