The Most Rev. John Alphonse Asiedu SVD, Bishop of Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate, in a Homily during the April 3, 2026 Good Friday Liturgy, challenged the Christians of St. Mary Mother of God Parish, Adeemmra, to lean on Christ Jesus, who is ever compassionate, loving, merciful, forgiving, and above all, who willingly died on the Cross for their sins.
He made reference to the several and varied personalities mentioned during the Stations of the Cross Narrative, earlier in the day, who, according to him, have one or more lessons to teach the faithful.
He however singled out Peter, who though faltered a number of times, to the point of denying Jesus, whom he had promised to stand by, always ran back to Jesus to make amends.
The Bishop maintained that even though Peter failed a number of times, he still loved Jesus, and meant all the promises he made to him. He wasn’t just paying lip service to the Lord, but meant every word he said.
He had promised to die with Jesus, and this eventually came to fulfilment after all the falling and rising: he too was murdered by crucifixion, on account of his faith in Christ Jesus.
According to the prelate, Jesus never gave up on Peter, because he knew him through, and understood his disloyalty as a result of human weakness and fragility.
Touching on Peter’s exaggerated self-confidence, drawn from all the promises he made to Jesus, Bishop Asiedu warned the faithful against putting too much trust in themselves, underscoring that it is usually when people think they are firmly grounded, that they could encounter even the heaviest and most disgraceful falls.
Even after the fall, they must continue to lean on the Lord, the Bishop encouraged, pointing out that by virtue of being Christians, they have similarly made promises to God, and as many times as they might have failed to keep these promises, and will still continue to fall, they must remain steadfast, for with God, everything is possible.
He prayed that the Lord who understands each one through and through, with their strengths and weaknesses, may meet each one at their different levels of weakness. They only need to surrender themselves in sincerity and honesty before Him, and He will use them as instruments for His purpose.
Present at the Good Friday Service were the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), the students of St. Mary’s Vocational / Technical Senior High School, Adeemmra, among other parishioners.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate).
