The Saints and Us.
What makes us saints is not that we are not sinners but because we consistently and genuinely make effort to be perfect. Some saints are retired perfect sinners, who became perfect christians. Instances of this abound in the Bible.
Think of Abraham, Moses, David and Jonah. Each of them does have a flaw in his character. Especially the last three: David was a ravenous adulterer and cold-blooded murderer.
Jonah despised and hated the people of Niniveh.
And yet God chose them and worked in them and through them.
Who could have chosen Simon Peter, James and John – the sons of Zebedee, Paul and Mary of Magdala?
Peter was as fickle as a leaf tossing and fluttering in the wind, who in a crisis drew his sword to defend and behead an unjust attacker but only succeeded in cutting off the right ear(very unserious character), who denied his master only a few hours after a solemn pledge of fidelity; a traitor…mtcheww!!!
James and John typify greed and self-centeredness. They planned and executed a coup behind the backs of the other Apostles. This was the proverbial coup that failed.
Paul, came to prominence as a relentless persecutor of Christ’s very family – namely his young Church.
Mary was the hospitality mistress and well-known whore of Magdala…Ashawo 1 of Magdala.
And yet these were the people Jesus chose as his Apostles and disciples as
pioneers of his new mission…ike gwuru.
Much closer to ourselves and in our age, we can trace a similarity in Blessed Fr. Tansi, who had a very hot temper. He even had to deal with a man who slapped him by fighting the man to the ground, as if he was saying “do you think I don’t have blood? Much to our Christian knowledge, hot temper is not a virtue.
In the midst of all these vices, these sinners became saints because they cooperated genuinely with God’s grace and not just giving excuses.
Listen my dear brother, my dear sister, no matter the kind of abortions, murder, theft, slandering, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, kidnapping, OKEITE-ism etc, you have committed, THE GAP BETWEEN YOU AND SAINTHOOD IS REPENTANCE AND GENUINE EFFORT, for the Son came for the sinners.
This was the reason why Christ became a sinner to the Scribes and Pharisees; because he loved sinners. He still loves sinners.
Till we meet again to drink from the Cup of Christ’s salvation, and take our right positions as heirs and heiresses to God’s Kingdom…
© Fada Henry Charles Umelechi
Fr. Truth Series.